Man shot in leg by cops is charged

September 24, 2009

A 25-year-old man who authorities say was shot in the leg by police when he pointed a gun at them has been charged in the incident, police said.

Luis Llorens, of the 2400 block of North Harding Avenue, was charged with domestic battery in the incident that brought police to his home in the first place, and was also charged this morning with two counts of aggravated assault of a police officer, according to police.

Llorens, who remained hospitalized at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center this morning, was shot in the leg by police, officials said. He was admitted in good condition Monday night. Court information for Llorens was not available this morning.

The incident in the 2400 block of North Harding Avenue began about 7 p.m. Monday when Grand-Central District officers responded to a call of a domestic dispute, and there met a woman who told them an armed man was inside her residence, said Police News Affairs Officer Hector Alfaro.

Early reports stating the shooting might have resulted from a hostage-barricade situation were inaccurate, said Ilana Rosenzweig of the Independent Police Review Authority.

After the first officers arrived, the man, who was armed with a handgun, came out of the residence. Police ordered him to drop his weapon, but he didn't, Alfaro said.

Backup officers arrived, and police again ordered Llorens to drop his gun, Alfaro said. Llorens then pointed his weapon at the officers, and one of the backup officers, fearing for his safety and that of his fellow officers, fired, striking Llorens in the leg, Alfaro said.

Police took a handgun on the scene, he said.

A team of IPRA investigators went to the scene, Rosenzweig said.

A booking photo of Llorens was unavailable this morning because he was still hospitalized, Police News Affairs Officer Ronald Gaines said.